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New to soccer (or as the rest of the world calls it - football)? So am I! This is my place to share thoughts about the sport and news and commentary about the clubs I'm following. Who am I following? LA Galaxy, IF Elfsborg, Falkenbergs FF, Liverpool FC, and LAFC. Send comments to rrblog[at]yahoo[dot]com.

USMNT in Copa America & Sweden in the Euro 2016

With no MLS or Allsvenskan matches, it is time to follow the national teams in their competitions.

Its pretty simple for Team USA: don't lose to Paraguay.

A draw is okay because USA finishes with 4 points in group A and the only way they can get eliminated is a big upset by Costa Rica over Columbia. It would be a big upset because Columbia is really good. It would also have to be a big upset in that Costa Rica has to erase their -4 goal differential with a seven goal victory over Columbia.

A win by the USMNT gets them to six points and into the knockout stage.

Paraguay is at the win or go home point. The only way they get to the knockout is to win.

I haven't seen any of the USMNT games but have heard post game comments. The general feeling I get was that the early goals in both matches were key. Colombia got the early goal and US had to chase the game and don't have the skills to break down a solid defense. USA got the early goal against Costa Rica so they had to chase which allowed the US to counter attack and it snowballed into a big win for team USA. The analysts at ExtraTime said this situation played into the US hands because Costa Rica is weak at defensive midfield.

So what does the USA brain trust call for tactically in the first half of the first half against Paraguay?

Do they ask the team to go out and press for the opening goal?

Or do they sit back and let Paraguay be aggressive and hit them when they get too far forward?

UPDATE: Well, well, well. The Scriptwriters at Copa America threw a couple of twists there! The USA got the goal early as the USA fans hoped for. But then the scriptwriters threw in the craziness of Yedlin picking up two yellows thus leaving the USA with 10 for almost all of the second half. Nonetheless, Guzan and the defense held firm and preserved the 1-0 win. But there was one more twist to come: Colombia's manager decided to send out the "B" team against Costa Rica and Costa Rica won 3-2! Classic case of disrespecting your opponent coming back to haunt you. Thus, the US wins group A by goal differential over Colombia.

Sunday's group B match results determine who plays who: the US will get the #2 from Group B and Colombia will get the #1 from Group B. To see the scenarios go here.